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Home , Chanchal, Darjeeling, Dinhata, Harishchandrapur, Itahar, Jalpaiguri

SITUATION REPORT WEST FLOODS

OVERALL SITUATION

In the state of , heavy rains since 16 August have caused floods in several districts, especially Coochbehar, , , Uttar Dinajpur, and most recently in Malda.

Two days of continuous he avy rainfall in led to the collapse of a portion of the dyke at the 150 feet dam of the Leeshi river on 16 August. This led to flooding of the Chunabhati and the Upper Basti area (on the sub-division border of Darjee ling district). On 23 August, the embankment on Fulahar River at Bhaluka Bazar in II Block in breached . The breach was blocked on 24 August at 2 pm near Banikantatola in Debipur Gram Panchayat of I Block.

So far, official reports indicate that over 200,000 people are affected in the state and 12 lives have been lost. Around 13,000 people have been accommodated in 30 relief camps or shelters set up by the government. The Inter-Agency Group in West Bengal has shared fou r Situation Reports and conducted a rapid assessment of the situation in Malda district.

DISTRICT MAP OF WEST BENGAL

1 Sit Rep – West Bengal Floods–26 August 2009

DAMAGE DETAILS

The official damage details of the affected districts are:

SN Item Coochbehar Jalpaiguri Darjeeling Uttar Dinajpur Malda Total

1 Natural Heavy rainfall Rainfall & Heavy rainfall Flood Flood Disaster & flood flashflood &

2 Date & time 16.08.09- 19.08.09- 16.08.09- 21.08.09 22.08.09 of 23.08.09 20.08.09 20.08.09 Occurrence 3 No. of 12 11 8 2 3 32 Blocks affected 4 No. of 0 0 2 0 0 2 / ward affected 5 No. of 95 174 72 27 23 391 villages affected 6 Population 81,434 79,091 29,001 2,252 10,602 202,380 affected 7 No. of 0 2 10 0 0 12 human lives lost 8 No. of 0 30 0 0 0 30 livestock lost 9 Crop area 0 275 968 0 0 1,243 affected (in ha) 10 Estimate 0 98 802 0 0 900 value of damaged crop (Rs in lakh) 11 Total loss 92 333 7,184 0 45 7,654 (Rs in lakh) 12 No. of F 468 1,399 4,048 185 248 6,348 houses Damaged P 1,313 3,588 5,533 215 450 11,099 Name of -I & II, Madarihat, , Goalpukur-II, Harish Chandra affected -I & , , Kaliyaganj Pur-II, Ratua-I & blocks II, , , Kalimpong-I & -II , Falakata, II, -I Rajganj, ,Su & II, , Sadar, khiapokhri, Haldibari, Maynaguri, , -I , Bijonbari & II Matiali, Mal,

2 Sit Rep – West Bengal Floods–26 August 2009

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

The government response so far:

SN Item Coochbehar Jalpaiguri Darjeeling Uttar Dinajpur Malda Total

1 No. of Relief 18 0 12 0 0 30 Camps 2 No. of Medical 0 0 1 0 0 1 Camps 3 No. of people in 12,142 0 777 0 102 13,021 Relief Camps & shelters

According to the reports of the Inter-agency Group West Bengal, the government response in Malda district has been as follows:

The District Administration has taken steps to move all people in vulnerable areas to safer places. District administration has taken steps along with Police and Irrigation department officials for filling up the “rat holes” along the canal to deter a ny major damage to roads and crops. At about 10 pm on 24 August 2009, the culvert that blocked the water from flowing down was opened by the administration to facilitate safer evacuation of people. The State IAG-WB partners met with the District Magistrate and other officers on 24 August for detailed understanding of the situation. The State IAG-Partner staff handed over the list of Civil Defense trained volunteers to the Block Administration on the request of the Block Development Officer, Harishchandrapur II. State Inter Agency Partners have done the initial Rapid Assessment on 24 August 2009 at 1800 hrs – within 24 hrs of the disaster. The affected people in Ratua I and Harishchandrapur II Block are being provided dry food by the Block Administration. Civil Defense officials from , North Dinajpur district have arrived in Ratua I block to assist the Block administration in rescue and relief operations. The local administration has begun the initial assessment of the damages in both the blocks of Ratua I and Harishchandrapur II as the water has begun to recede. District Administration of Malda district has taken up NREGA funded activities in the embankments of Fulahar in Malda district to control erosion along Bhaluka Bazaar in Harishchandrapu r and Kahala in Ratua I Blocks. The administration also has alerted the people to move to safer places, as the water continues to recede.

The State IAG-WB is in process of conducting a Multi -Sectoral Assessment in the Districts of Malda, Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar and Darjeeling within one week.

SOURCES AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Sources: For Further Information contact : · Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Mr. G. Padmanabhan · Central Water Commission (CWC) Emergency Analyst, UNDP · NDM Division, Ministry of Home Affairs Email: [email protected] · UNDP Flood Report Mobile: +91 98104 02937 · IAG Situation Reports Ms. Shairi Mathur UN Disaster Management Team Associate Email: [email protected] Mobile : +91 98107 23192 http://www.un.org.in/UNDMT/home.htm

3 Sit Rep – West Bengal Floods–26 August 2009